Film festival to raise funds for humane society

Gary Glancy runs along the Ochlawaha Trail off of Seventh Avenue earlier this month as he portrays Forrest Gump's run across the country.

Patrick Sullivan/Times-News

By Beth BeasleyTimes-News correspondent

Published: Wednesday, December 12, 2012 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, December 11, 2012 at 8:58 p.m.

For animal lovers who like to watch films while drinking tasty, local beer, it's an event made in heaven.

The Furry Friends Fundraising Film Festival on Jan. 8 at Southern Appalachian Brewery will spotlight a series of locally produced short films, with event proceeds benefiting the Blue Ridge Humane Society.

"I've seen still shots from each (film), and I think between them and the talent they have it'll be awesome," said Caroline Gunther, Humane Society board member and owner of Wag! Pet Boutique on Main Street.

The talent Gunther speaks of is festival organizers Chris Nevel and Gary Glancy, who have made most of the films.

Glancy, a Times-News correspondent and former staff member, is currently finishing filming and editing work on "Gary Goes Gump," a kind of travelogue and tribute to "Forrest Gump" that will serve as the film festival headliner.

An avid runner, Glancy, dressed in full costume, recreated scenes from the 1994 film starring Tom Hanks both in Hendersonville and while on a six-week road trip out west this summer.

"It was the trip of a lifetime," Glancy said. "I wanted a way to document or memorialize it for my parents; something unique."

Nevel, who works as a videographer for the Henderson County Heritage Museum, jumped at the chance to help produce Glancy's Gump film. He told Glancy the scope of his film was epic, and it should be screened, spawning the idea for a festival.

"It's a vacation video with a mission," Nevel said.

Nevel said that he and Glancy are regulars at SAB, both having a passion for beer, running, travel and their cats. Nevel sees the brewery as the perfect venue for the festival event, which will include about two and a half hours of programming.

Serendipity seemed to favor Glancy during filmmaking, which he based from his car in places including Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon and the California coast. He often convinced tourists from around the globe to help recreate scenes.

"I am a big Forrest Gump fan," Glancy said. "As I found out, so are a lot of people around the world."

Glancy's biggest stroke of fortune in filming scenes occurred while in Monument Valley, where he hoped to recreate the film's famous running scene, in which Gump turns around to head for home.

With nothing but a GoPro camera for equipment, a wig, fake beard and running clothes for a costume, Glancy arrived at the exact mile marker where the original scene was filmed. People had asked him how he planned to gather a small group of people to recreate Gump's straggling group of devotees that trail him on his cross-country run — Glancy wasn't sure; there was no plan.

Alone along a deserted stretch of road with nothing but cactus and one other car, Glancy was sure the chance to film the scene was "bust," but just then a tour bus drove up.

"I thought, no way — it's too good to be true," Glancy said.

About 50 French tourists volunteered to be in the scene, which is the longest of the scenes Glancy recreated for "Gary Goes Gump."

"People really got into this; everyone thought it was pretty fantastic," Glancy said. "Forrest Gump is an international figure; his character in that movie spans the globe."

Glancy said he has connected on Facebook with people who helped him around the country with filming, as many had a desire to see the completed film.

Before his travels, several scenes were filmed in Henderson County using Nevel's help. They include the "life is like a box of chocolates" scene and the clip in which Gump runs through his hometown. Glancy said the latter scene was partly filmed this August from the window at Hannah Flanagan's on Main Street.

Some license was taken in some of the recreated scenes. One in particular was Glancy's cat, Chimay, playing the part of Gump's girlfriend, Jenny.

"We really stuck to the script, but with some poetic license to make it stick to my life," Glancy said.

Gunther knows of Glancy's love for Chimay, which he rescued from the county shelter.

"He knows the significance of Blue Ridge Humane Society, and that we pull many animals from there," she said of the shelter.

Nevel's daughter, Page, is doing her senior project at the Humane Society, so the organization felt like a good fit.

"This is about getting together for the animals," Nevel said.

Glancy also planned his summer road trip around visiting the Great American Beer Festival, along with breweries such as Colorado's Oskar Blues, New Belgium and California's Sierra Nevada. All of them are opening regional breweries in this area.

Other short films to be screened at the festival include the beer-focused documentaries "From Grain to Glass" and a look at the second annual Oktoberfest at SAB, both made by Nevel.

"You can see the whole process, more than just a day's work," said Nevel of the 18-minute short "From Grain to Glass" charting the month-long brewing process at SAB.

Nevel said the film was made for SAB brewer and co-owner Andy Cubbin's brewery tours. A film Nevel made about the first Meltdown Bike Rally hosted at SAB this year also will be screened.

"There were about a thousand machines," Nevel said. "It was unique in that there wasn't just Harleys and Hondas."

"Otis the Wonder Dog" and "A Day at the Dog Park" give animals their piece of the spotlight at the festival. The same kind of GoPro action sports-oriented high-definition camera used by Glancy gets tacked to various dogs in the short film "A Day at the Dog Park," shot from a purely dog's point of view.

Tickets for the festival are $10, available in advance at SAB and Wag! A raffle the night of the event with prizes from several local businesses also will raise funds for the Humane Society. Food from Underground Bakery, as well as beer, wine and other drinks, will be available for sale.

<p>For animal lovers who like to watch films while drinking tasty, local beer, it's an event made in heaven.</p><p>The Furry Friends Fundraising Film Festival on Jan. 8 at Southern Appalachian Brewery will spotlight a series of locally produced short films, with event proceeds benefiting the Blue Ridge Humane Society. </p><p>"I've seen still shots from each (film), and I think between them and the talent they have it'll be awesome," said Caroline Gunther, Humane Society board member and owner of Wag! Pet Boutique on Main Street. </p><p>The talent Gunther speaks of is festival organizers Chris Nevel and Gary Glancy, who have made most of the films. </p><p>Glancy, a Times-News correspondent and former staff member, is currently finishing filming and editing work on "Gary Goes Gump," a kind of travelogue and tribute to "Forrest Gump" that will serve as the film festival headliner.</p><p>An avid runner, Glancy, dressed in full costume, recreated scenes from the 1994 film starring Tom Hanks both in Hendersonville and while on a six-week road trip out west this summer. </p><p>"It was the trip of a lifetime," Glancy said. "I wanted a way to document or memorialize it for my parents; something unique."</p><p>Nevel, who works as a videographer for the Henderson County Heritage Museum, jumped at the chance to help produce Glancy's Gump film. He told Glancy the scope of his film was epic, and it should be screened, spawning the idea for a festival. </p><p>"It's a vacation video with a mission," Nevel said.</p><p>Nevel said that he and Glancy are regulars at SAB, both having a passion for beer, running, travel and their cats. Nevel sees the brewery as the perfect venue for the festival event, which will include about two and a half hours of programming.</p><p>Serendipity seemed to favor Glancy during filmmaking, which he based from his car in places including Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon and the California coast. He often convinced tourists from around the globe to help recreate scenes. </p><p>"I am a big Forrest Gump fan," Glancy said. "As I found out, so are a lot of people around the world."</p><p>Glancy's biggest stroke of fortune in filming scenes occurred while in Monument Valley, where he hoped to recreate the film's famous running scene, in which Gump turns around to head for home. </p><p>With nothing but a GoPro camera for equipment, a wig, fake beard and running clothes for a costume, Glancy arrived at the exact mile marker where the original scene was filmed. People had asked him how he planned to gather a small group of people to recreate Gump's straggling group of devotees that trail him on his cross-country run — Glancy wasn't sure; there was no plan.</p><p>Alone along a deserted stretch of road with nothing but cactus and one other car, Glancy was sure the chance to film the scene was "bust," but just then a tour bus drove up.</p><p>"I thought, no way — it's too good to be true," Glancy said.</p><p>About 50 French tourists volunteered to be in the scene, which is the longest of the scenes Glancy recreated for "Gary Goes Gump."</p><p>"People really got into this; everyone thought it was pretty fantastic," Glancy said. "Forrest Gump is an international figure; his character in that movie spans the globe."</p><p>Glancy said he has connected on Facebook with people who helped him around the country with filming, as many had a desire to see the completed film.</p><p>Before his travels, several scenes were filmed in Henderson County using Nevel's help. They include the "life is like a box of chocolates" scene and the clip in which Gump runs through his hometown. Glancy said the latter scene was partly filmed this August from the window at Hannah Flanagan's on Main Street. </p><p>Some license was taken in some of the recreated scenes. One in particular was Glancy's cat, Chimay, playing the part of Gump's girlfriend, Jenny. </p><p>"We really stuck to the script, but with some poetic license to make it stick to my life," Glancy said.</p><p>Gunther knows of Glancy's love for Chimay, which he rescued from the county shelter.</p><p>"He knows the significance of Blue Ridge Humane Society, and that we pull many animals from there," she said of the shelter.</p><p>Nevel's daughter, Page, is doing her senior project at the Humane Society, so the organization felt like a good fit.</p><p>"This is about getting together for the animals," Nevel said.</p><p>Glancy also planned his summer road trip around visiting the Great American Beer Festival, along with breweries such as Colorado's Oskar Blues, New Belgium and California's Sierra Nevada. All of them are opening regional breweries in this area.</p><p>Other short films to be screened at the festival include the beer-focused documentaries "From Grain to Glass" and a look at the second annual Oktoberfest at SAB, both made by Nevel.</p><p>"You can see the whole process, more than just a day's work," said Nevel of the 18-minute short "From Grain to Glass" charting the month-long brewing process at SAB.</p><p>Nevel said the film was made for SAB brewer and co-owner Andy Cubbin's brewery tours. A film Nevel made about the first Meltdown Bike Rally hosted at SAB this year also will be screened. </p><p>"There were about a thousand machines," Nevel said. "It was unique in that there wasn't just Harleys and Hondas."</p><p>"Otis the Wonder Dog" and "A Day at the Dog Park" give animals their piece of the spotlight at the festival. The same kind of GoPro action sports-oriented high-definition camera used by Glancy gets tacked to various dogs in the short film "A Day at the Dog Park," shot from a purely dog's point of view.</p><p>Tickets for the festival are $10, available in advance at SAB and Wag! A raffle the night of the event with prizes from several local businesses also will raise funds for the Humane Society. Food from Underground Bakery, as well as beer, wine and other drinks, will be available for sale.</p>